Weeping Tree
by 39addict101
Summary: Lightning burst from the sky again and Grace received a two-second view of the willow tree. It's branches drooped with the weight of the water . . . Pre-Clue Hunt


The wind blew, whipping the hanging branches of the willow tree, sending small, oblong leaves whirling into the air. The ground would be a mess tomorrow, Grace reflected, smiling to herself. That dang willow tree was so messy.

Thunder cracked, a blast of sound that rocked the atmosphere. Lightning flashed seconds later, a blaze of light that drove away the darkness around for several split-seconds.

Grace smiled. If Dan was here, she'd make him count the seconds between, and then have Amy figure out how far away the thunder and lightning were from here.

But they weren't here, so there was no need to do that.

Grace smiled. And why should she train them, when they had perfectly good parents, who were definately able to guide their own children?

Rain poured down in sheets; the window was a mess of running water that restricted her view. Just as well. She didn't want to see her yard, it would only make her think of all the back-breaking labor she'd have to accomplish tomorrow.

Lightning burst from the sky again and Grace received a two second view of the willow tree. Its branches drooped with the weight of the water. Small branches flew every which way, reaching, clawing at nothing, and sending debris everywhere.

The sky was a dark gray; angry storm clouds hovered over the drenched land, pouring out their fury at the hapless inhabitants beneath.

The wind screamed, whistling as it galloped past the house, a furious stallion. It whinnied shrilly in the trees fighting battles, protecting its harem of earth and sky. It whirled away, triumphant, announcing its victory to all who could care to listen.

Grace turned away from the window, smiling to herself. Fantasies were not something she had time for, though she did enjoy them so much.

At another crack of thunder, Grace whirled back around, peering out the window at the willow. She had planted that willow following her husband's death twenty years ago.

The tree had helped her to cope with his death, mostly because she had cried underneath it for hours on end. The choice she had made hadn't helped her grief. She shared a special bond with the willow, as stupid as it sounded.

She hoped the tree would make it through this storm, just as it had helped her through many storms in her life.

* * *

She was eating strawberries, underneath her willow, when she got the call. The sun was shining, the sky was a beautiful robin's egg blue. The wind blew softly around her, enveloping her body in a warm breeze, blowing her hair around her slightly wrinkled skin.

When her cellphone had rang, it had annoyed her. The ringing spoiled the beautiful day.

She picked it up, and with great annoyance in her voice said, "Hello? Grace Cahill."

"Grace?" It was Irina. "I have news of great importance. Last night, there was a fire."

A terrible chill wrapped around Grace. "What?"

"Your children . . . Hope . . . Arthur . . ."

"Are they alright?"

Irina paused and Grace shuddered. "No!" She cried. "No!"

"Grace . . . they are gone." Irina's voice cracked, surprising Grace. She did not know the woman was capable of displaying emotion.

Grace said nothing. She crashed back against the tree, feeling rough bark against her back.

"Grace. I'm sorry." Irina said. There was a click and Irina was gone.

Grace was tempted to call her back, just to hear another human's voice. She felt tears slide down her cheeks. "Hope." She bit her lip. "No. No."

The horror that surrounded her was not unlike the horrors she had faced before: ordering her husband to be killed, sending loved ones to their deaths for the glory of the branch, but this was so much worse.

All the other times she had had a reason for doing what she did. There was no justice in Hope and Arthur's untimely deaths.

She leaned back against the tree, weeping, shedding her tears, screaming out her pain to the only thing that would listen: the tall willow whose bark gently caressed her face.

* * *

 **So yeah... I wrote this in the spring. I was driving through the country and I saw a willow, it was raining, but the weird thing was that the sun was coming through the rain, and legit, part of the willow was in a patch of sunlight.**

 **I . . . I was awestruck by the beauty and I was instantly inspired.**

 **But it took me this long to publish it.**

 **I don't know... I guess I just feel like it's not that great... so I didn't do anything with it until now.**

 **So... yeah... just another stupid fic by Addict.**

 **Yay.**

 **Thanks for reading!**


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